Cotton or hay press



(No Model.) L. L, T-AYLOR.

GOTTON AND ,HAY PRESS.

Patented Dem-azs); 1885..

zz. w; wz.. z? Am .w 1 n n #m w W, m0 o w ,3 33 .m ,W

NITED STATES PATENT lErica.

LUCIUS L. TAYLOR, OF SEABOARD, NORTH CAROLINA.

COTTON OR HAY PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,359, dated December 29, 1885.

Application filed August 11, 1885. Serial No. 174,127. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUclUs L. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seaboard, in the County of Northampton and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Presses for Cotton, Hay, 8m., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for pressing Cotton, hay, and other substances, and the purpose thereof is to simplify and improve the mechanisrn for Operating the follower, whereby the throw of levers may be Varied and their power increased or decreased. It is also my purpose to simplify the construction of this class of presses; and to these ends the invention consists in the several novel features of construction and combination of parts, hereinafter fully set forth, and definitely pointed out in the Claims annexed to this specification.

Referring to the drawings, forming part of this application, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the press, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, the knoCkdown portion of the press-box being removed. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of one wall of the knockdown box.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates the press-frame, rising from a hedplate, 2, and strengthened by suitable crossbraces, 3. Upon the uprights of the frame are mortised tie beams 4, which support the press-box 5, which may terminate at any suitable distance above the bed-plate, an open space being left between the latter and the lower end of the box.

Within the press-box moVes the follower 6, carried by a beam, 7, the ends thereof projecting through slots in the Vertical edges of the press-box. Upon each end of the followerbeam is pivotally mounted aloop, 8, and upon the bed-plate 2 is rigidly mounted a Vertical ratchet, 9, arranged close to the press box, and passing through an opening in the end of the follower-beam 7. The teeth of the latter are turned outward relatively to the pressof the ratchets 9 are pivotally mounted the 'bifumated ends 10 of the metalic iwer-110mers 11, each provided with a series of openings, 12, to receive a pivot-pin, 13, by which a ratChet-bar, 14, is attached to each holder and rendered adjustable thereon toward and from thefulcrum. These ratohets pass through openings in the extreme outer ends of the followerbeaxn, and engage w'ith loops 15, which, like the loo ps 8, are pivotally mounted on the beam behind the ratchet, with which they engage, so that gravity will draw said loops into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet. Both bars are so arranged that their serrated edges turn outward or away from the press-box. By this arrangernent the holding-loops both operate or swing in the same direction, and are mounted at a distance from each other, thus allowing the ratChet-bars to be brought close together.

The press-plate 16 is slotted transverely, as also is the follower, to permit the bale-ties being introduced. The plate is inclosed within a knockdown Casing composed of side walls, 17, having slotsor Channels 18, which receive the end pieces, 19. The side pieces are supported by bars 20, set in niortises 21`in the bed-plate, the upper ends being turned into Channels 22 in the tie-beams 4.

By adjusting the pivot-bolts 13 in the openings 12 the throw of the levers 23 may be Varied and the power of the same increased or decreased, as circumstances may require.

Upon the follower-beam 7 are mounted buttons 24, by which the loops 8 and 15 may be held out of engagement with the ratchets 9 and 14, to permit the follower being raised and removed from the press-box.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 4 1. In a Cotton-press, the combination, with the follower` having 'loops pivotally mounted thereon, of ratchet-bars rigidly connected to the bed-plate, levers fulcrumed upon the lower ends of said bars, and ratchet-bars connected with said levers and having their Connectingbolts horizontally adj ustable upon said levers, substantially as deseribed.

2. In a Cotton-press, the Combination, With a follower having Vertical movement in the press-box, of levers having each a series of bolt-holes, ratohets attached to said levers by IOO boits adjustable in said holes, and loops upon the followel' engaging with said ratchet-bars, substantially as desoribed. i

3. In a Cotton-press, the combination, with a followei' moving vertically in the pressbox, of ratchebbars I'igidly connected With the bedplate, similar ratchets adjustably nionnted upon the levers fulcrumed upon the rigid bars,

'and loops pivoted upon the follower and engaging with said ratchet bars, the serrated Io edges of the lat'ter being turned outward, substantaialiy as deseribed.

In teshimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

L. L. TAYLOR. Witnesses:

J AMES L. NORRIS, Jos. L. COOMBS. 

